Document 0716
 DOCN  M9480716
 TI    Cytomegalovirus infection of human retinal tissue: an in vivo model.
 DT    9410
 AU    DiLoreto D Jr; Epstein LG; Lazar ES; Britt WJ; del Cerro M; Department
       of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Rochester; School of
       Medicine, New York.
 SO    Lab Invest. 1994 Jul;71(1):141-8. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE
       MED/94315864
 AB    BACKGROUND: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis is a common, devastating
       complication of AIDS. Strict host specificity of human CMV (HCMV), has
       limited the study of the virus. The purpose of this research was to
       create a model that allowed the in vivo infection of human retinal
       tissue with HCMV. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Small fragments of 13-week human
       fetal retina were transplanted into the anterior chambers of
       immune-deficient mice. One week later, 15 of 30 grafts were inoculated
       with HCMV. Infected and noninfected specimens were compared for
       histopathologic changes at 14, 30, and 60 days at light and electron
       microscopic levels. Histochemistry was performed to characterize: level
       of graft differentiation, range of viral replication cycle, and effects
       on neuronal, glial, and monocytic elements of the retina. RESULTS: At 30
       and 60 days, grafts were well differentiated histologically and
       histochemically. The infected grafts showed numerous large cells
       containing intranuclear and intracytoplasmic inclusions. Ultrastructural
       examination revealed viral particles within cytoplasm and nuclei.
       Infected cells expressed proteins representative of all phases of the
       HCMV replication cycle. Most HCMV-infected cells expressed the neuronal
       marker, protein gene product 9.5. In a second series of experiments,
       tissue from one graft harvested at 45 days postinfection was used to
       recover HCMV in fibroblast cultures and also used successfully to
       passage the virus to two control grafts. CONCLUSIONS: This model allows
       HCMV to actively infect and replicate within highly differentiated human
       neural tissue. It produces pathology characteristic of CMV-infected
       neural tissue in a time course suitable for long-term study. The nature
       of this model will allow the study of: the replication properties of
       HCMV in nervous tissue, the specific effects of HCMV on the human
       retina, the interaction of HCMV with other viruses, e.g., HIV, and
       various anti-viral therapies.
 DE    Animal  *Cytomegalovirus Infections/MICROBIOLOGY/PATHOLOGY  Disease
       Models, Animal  Fetal Tissue Transplantation  Human  Mice  Mice, SCID
       Microscopy, Electron  Retina/*EMBRYOLOGY/MICROBIOLOGY/PATHOLOGY
       *Retinal Diseases/MICROBIOLOGY/PATHOLOGY  Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
       Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.  Transplantation, Heterologous  Virus
       Replication  JOURNAL ARTICLE

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).